Rest in Peace
by Lilliwyn
Summary: After the defeat of Sovereign, things take a turn for the worst for Commander Shepard. Written from Tali's PoV, with some Shenko. Contains character death and spoilers. First fanfic, please read and review!


This is a little story that I came up with after beating Mass Effect for the first time. I was in a pretty tragic mood. :) There are spoilers in this story, as well as character death. So, don't say that I didn't warn you.

This is also my first fanfic, so please review! Constructive criticism would be well-welcomed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or any of its characters. Bioware does.

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It was quiet that day as Commander Shepard, Kaidan, and Garrus left for Ilos. Sure, it was a bit more quiet whenever Shepard and her party would leave, but this was different. The normal gossip and hustle and bustle of the activities of the crew of the SSV Normandy had slowed down to a stop, and there was a grim attitude that was taking the crew by storm. Of course there was the hope that Shepard would succeed, but it just seemed so slim, we couldn't help but assume that we would fail.

Five hours later we traveled to the Citadel when Shepard told us what was going on after traveling through the conduit.

Once she told us what was happening our fear grew stronger as we went to go and attack the reaper, Sovereign. Everyone started to scurry around the ship in a panicked struggle to make sure that everything went smoothly as we fought the monstrosity. It was a hard battle and we did have a couple close calls, but Joker handled the situation well and we emerged victorious. I remember the loud cheer that we shouted as the Reaper exploded and started to fall.

But then, the crew hushed into a fearful silence. Sovereign landed in the Citadel Tower, which was where Shepard and her party was, battling Saren.

I banished any thought from my mind that Kera Shepard and her party were dead. I mean, she had survived against so many impossible odds, from the attack of the slavers on her home planet Mindoir, to the Thresher Maw ambush on Akuze, and then the tragic disaster on Virmire. How could it just end like this?

Then, exactly what I hoped would never come to pass came true.

A group of three paramedics rushed in a gurney to the medbay, with Kaidan and Garrus trailing right behind them. I couldn't see who was in the gurney, but I didn't have to guess. The medbay, which was usually one of the most peaceful and quiet areas of the Normandy, was thrust into a state of chaos as they rushed to get Shepard help. They shut the door as they worked. I, Garrus, Kaidan, Liara, and Wrex waited outside of the door as we waited for the Doctor's verdict.

The paramedics soon left the medbay with grim looks on their faces. They left the Normandy and avoided making eye contact with any of the crew members. Doctor Chakwas stepped out soon after.

Slowly, the Doctor lifted her head and put on a weak excuse for a smile. We knew what she was about to tell us, it was obvious, but she started to explain Shepard's condition anyway.

"I don't know how to say this," Chakwas started. She avoided making eye contact with us, especially with Kaidan. "But I am afraid that I don't have very good news."

Just hearing her say that seemed to deliver the fell blow upon all of us. I could almost hear Kaidan's heart crash to the floor, and mine fell with his as sorrow weighed down upon it.

"You see, when Sovereign was defeated he crashed through the Citadel Tower where Shepard and her party encountered Saren when he was possessed by the reaper. She was there when it fell and was hit by a rather large piece of debris and other smaller ones. She is in critical condition, and has a couple rather deep wounds and several gashes. The wounds are so wide that there is no way to stitch it shut, and no amount of medigel we can apply to them can stop the bleeding." Chakwas cleared her throat. "Despite this we have been able to slow the blood flow and we have given her plenty of painkillers so that she won't be in much pain," she raised her head to look at each one of them, "but this is the time to say goodbye."

This was it, the impossible was happening. Kera Shepard was dieing. We all looked at each other, afraid of what going into the room before us would hold.

Wrex stomped off to the garage, probably to go and deal with his emotions in isolation in his strange, krogan way.

Kaidan looked at Doctor Chakwas, and stood up from his seat. Without saying a word, he walked to the medbay, opened the door and stepped inside. The rest of us hesitated, but then we walked in after him.

I stopped in my tracks at the sight that was before my eyes. I had never seen Shepard in this state before, and it shocked me. Her side, right shoulder, and arm were bandaged and bloody. She was laying in a cot and weakly smiled as we walked in.

"Hey guys," she almost whispered. My already broken heart cracked further as I heard her spoke. It was so weak, so full of pain. I hid my own anguish as I greeted her in return.

"Hey Shepard." She nodded back at me. Liara and Garrus greeted her also.

Oh, how I just wanted to turn on my heels and sprint out of that room. I couldn't stand this, she couldn't be Shepard. This couldn't be happening to _her. _She was our leader, our friend, our comrade. She was sworn to protect us, but yet we always felt obligated to be the one who would be sacrificed for her so that she could live. She was a beacon in the darkness, a light which no one and nothing could blow out, even during the darkest times.

For the first time in my life, I wished that quarians could cry.

Kaidan strode over to her bedside and sat down in the chair next to her. He bent down and whispered in her ear very quietly, not caring whether we heard him or not.

"Don't leave me, Kera." A tear dripped down his cheek as Shepard looked over at him. I had never seen the Lieutenant cry before that day, not even when Ashley died. Shepard had a sincere look of sympathy on her face for him.

"I'm so sorry, Kaidan," she weakly whispered back to him, "But this is one thing that is out of my control." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Kaidan brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. The two seemed to be in their own little world now, oblivious to Liara, Chakwas, Garrus and I who stood nearby watching.

Liara strode out of the room with tears streaming down her face and silent sobs wracking her shoulders. The sadness of Shepard's condition must had been too much for her. Shepard watched her walk out of the room and sighed as she did so. Shepard must not have known what to say to Liara, but what could she have said? "I'm sorry that I'm dying?" I felt very sorry for her.

Kaidan then stood up from the chair next to her bedside. He came to her bed and gently lifted her up, sat next to her, and held her. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he stroked her shoulder-length chestnut brown hair. He gently kissed her head.

"I love you... so much... Kaidan," Shepard said weakly. She seemed to be losing strength by the second.

"I love you too, Kera." He continued to hold her as he cried. He lifted her head so that he could look into her deep blue eyes, and then he smiled at her. She weakly did the same.

"Promise... promise me, you'll take care of the reapers?"

"Of course, Kera. We'll take care of them, won't we, Tali?"

I nodded, as I was unable to speak.

After that, there was no need for words between the two. Kaidan rocked Shepard as her breathing shallowed and slowed. After a minute or two, which seemed to last a couple hours, Shepard stopped breathing and the monitor next to her cot showed that her heart had stopped beating. Kaidan's body was now wracked with sobs. He gently laid her back on the bed, but then he froze. My heart skipped a beat when I looked at her still figure.

Shepard was smiling! She had a calm, brave, and joyful expression on her face, as if she was on cloud nine when Kaidan was holding her. How could she have felt that way knowing that she was awaiting death? Kaidan smiled back at her through his tears, and then reached over and closed her eyes.

Doctor Chakwas, who was now weeping also, came over to the cot and laid the sheet over Shepard's body.

I walked out of the med bay. The sorrow I was feeling weighed heavily on my shoulders. On that day, everyone on the Normandy promised not to let Shepard's death be in vain. We promised to not look back and be saddened by her death, but to look back at who she was in life.

We are also now doing all we can to protect the galaxy from the reapers. In everything we do in that battle against them, we always remember the first person ever who triumphed against a reaper.

Rest in peace, Shepard.


End file.
